Blacks (African Americans) with Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) have higher prevalence of diabetes, poorer metabolic control, and greater risk for complications and death compared to Whites. Poor outcomes in Blacks with T2DM can be attributed to patient, provider, and health systems level factors. Provider and health system factors account for <10% of variance in major diabetes outcomes. Key differences appear to be at the patient level. Of the patient level factors, consistent differences between Blacks and Whites with T2DM have been found in diabetes knowledge, self-management skills, empowerment, and perceived control. A variety of interventions to improve diabetes self-management have been tested including: 1) knowledge interventions;2) lifestyle interventions;3) skills training interventions;and 4) patient activation and empowerment interventions. Most of these interventions have been tested individually, but rarely have they been tested in combination, especially among Blacks who have the greatest burden of diabetes related complications. This study provides a unique opportunity to address this gap in the literature. Using a 2x2 factorial design, this study will test the efficacy of separate and combined telephone-delivered, diabetes knowledge/information and motivation/behavioral skills training intervention in high risk Blacks with poorly controlled T2DM (HbA1c e9%). The primary objective is to test the separate and combined efficacy of a telephone-delivered diabetes knowledge/information intervention and motivation/behavioral skills training intervention in improving HbA1c levels in Blacks with T2DM using a 2x2 factorial design. The secondary objectives are: 1) To determine whether patients randomized to the telephone-delivered diabetes knowledge/information intervention, the motivation/behavioral skills training intervention or the combined intervention will have greater improvement in physical activity, diet, medication adherence, and self-monitoring of blood glucose at 12 months of follow-up compared to usual care;and 2) To determine the cost-effectiveness of each telephone intervention separately, and then in combination. The primary outcome is HbA1c level at 12 months of follow-up. The secondary outcomes are cost-effectiveness of each telephone intervention separately, and then in combination, and change in physical activity, diet, medication adherence, and self-monitoring of blood glucose over 12 months of follow-up. The long-term goal of the project is to achieve improvement in diabetes-related outcomes in this patient population. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Blacks or African Americans have greater risk of and are more likely to die from type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Major barriers to effective diabetes care for Blacks include poor diabetes knowledge, self-management skills, empowerment, and perceived control. Few prior studies have tested interventions to address these barriers in combination, especially among Blacks who have the greatest burden of diabetes related complications. This study provides a unique opportunity to address this gap in the literature by testing the efficacy of separate and combined telephone-delivered, diabetes knowledge and motivation/behavioral skills training intervention in high risk Blacks with poorly controlled T2DM. The findings of this study, if successful, will provide new information on how to improve quality of care for diabetes in ethnic minorities and reduce the disproportionate burden of diabetes complications and deaths in this population.